


The trials that haunt us

by orphan_account



Category: Ghost - Mystery Skulls (Music Video), Mystery Skulls (Band)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-07
Updated: 2015-01-13
Packaged: 2018-03-06 12:07:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3133913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Disconnected fics from my Tumblr</p><p>Chapter 1: Forgiveness is sometimes worse<br/>Chapter 2: Paintings on the wall.<br/>Chapter 3: Coming soon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Forgiveness is sometimes worse

The worst is when, after the policemen leave, their questions answered and a search party going down in the cave for Lewis’ body, Lewis’ parents come up. Their eyes are teary and they’ve heard some of it but they want him to repeat it. So he does.

He repeats the story he came up with on the spot, the guilt gnawing at him worse than his lost arm. He stutters and falters and mixes things up but they wait patiently for him to finish. When he does, Mrs. Reyes buries herself into Mr. Reyes arm with tear stained cheeks but they do not look at him with accusations.

That is the worst part.

For the next few weeks the Pepper Paradiso is closed. Arthur only knows because Vivi tells him, in choked little sobs and miserable sniffles. She wanted the story too even though she was right there screaming, he remembers her screaming right before he blacked out. It echoes in his dreams with all the other things he can not force out of his mind.

That is not the worst part.

The worst part is when Lewis’ younger brother Gabriel, fifteen and an exact mirror image of Lewis except for the brown hair, comes knocking at the door at ten at night with red eyes and a need for an explanation. Gabriel had always looked up to his brother. A lot of people did, including Arthur. 

It would be wrong to tell lies to the kid.

Arthur does it anyway, his stutters and pauses long gone with how much he’s had to repeat the story, and when Gabriel leaves for the night, saying, “Thanks,” of all things, “I needed to hear how it went down.”

That’s the worst part. That’s what makes Arthur almost call him back, sit him down for the  _truth_.

Almost.

Arthur does not get much sleep that night but from seeing Gabriel’s baggy red-rimmed eyes he knows he’s not alone. He should be.

The funeral takes place a month later. They could not find Lewis’ body. Arthur is invited. He almost doesn’t go but Vivi drags him, Uncle Lance driving the van because Arthur can’t stand being in Lewis’ unofficial seat. Mystery beside him wearing a bow tie stares at him and he wonders if the dog’s enhance scent could smell blood on him.

They arrive, the tombstone already made, no body to be buried and tries not to look upward. At the people that Lewis had loved. The people he let down.

It works until Mr. Reyes calls him up to say a few words with Vivi. Vivi drags him upwards, up to the podium and then he has no choice but look to the millions sad faces in the crowd. Lewis has a large family, not like just Arthur and Lance. He has three younger siblings, his parents, his uncles and aunts and cousins all familiar to Arthur because Lewis always thought Arthur to be family.

That’s not the worst part. The worst part is standing still while Vivi talks in little hiccups and fond remembrance and wanting to scream.

“ _Take me away! I’m the one who did it! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. Lock me up. I’m a murderer.”_

In the end he says some words after everyone starts looking at him expectantly, nonsensical to his ears, empty compared to the solid stone in his gut but Mr. Reyes thanks him anyway and then Vivi drags him back down to their seats. After that he can’t seem to put down his head, or ignore the sniffles and sobs.

More than that he realizes while yes, Arthur’s family takes up a big chunk of the room there’s also neighbors and friends, other people of the town crying because Lewis was always nice. Lewis always knew how to make friends from strangers.

Lewis died because of him.

He listens to the various speeches given out in Lewis’ name and forces himself not to cry. This was his fault. He doesn’t deserve the selfishness of crying. Lewis’ cousin Amanda makes a speech and he vaguely remembers Lewis telling him about how she was set for Europe in a one in a lifetime chance for something. He doesn’t remember what.

He wonders if he ruined that for her. That she had to travel back all this way.

Their old Chem teacher makes a heartfelt speech. The one Arthur hasn’t seen in five years.

Lewis’ old neighbor, the one Lewis used to house sit makes a speech, comparing Lewis to a grandson. Everyone knew Ms. Wilkins had no family, her only son dying at a young age. Arthur would know because he helped young Mr. Wilkins pass on. In a way, he supposed, he helped Lewis pass on too.

A horrible, bloody way.

Every speech, every new person on the podium just drives the guilt deeper and Arthur staggers out of the funeral procession and into the bathroom to throw up. Lance finds him ten minutes later sobbing on the cold floor, his body too tired to admit him the privacy of a stall.

That’s not the worst.

The worst is later, after the Pepper Paradiso opens back up and Vivi starts to move on while Arthur’s still having nightmares. The worst is when Mrs. Reyes walks in the Kingsmen’s garage and hands him a paper bag with all his favorite food.

"Your uncle says you’ve been having trouble eating lately." She says with that motherly tone that sometimes would make Arthur jealous of Lewis.

He stares at her, and then the paper bag on his work table.

"I know you blame yourself Arthur." She says, her hand pushing the paper bag closer, "But Lewis wouldn’t want you to fret like this."

Arthur’s heart stops beating and then picks up double time.  _You don’t know the whole story._

She puts a hand on his shoulder, the left one and frowns when he jerks back.

"You know Arthur, ever since Lewis brought you to our house me and my husband knew you’d be the best of friends. And It wasn’t long until we called you family."

She crouches down, as if he were a kid, to look at his downturned eyes,

"And family doesn’t kill family. You tried your best to save him, Arthur and we’d all love it if you could try and move on. You’ll be dishonoring his memory if you just sit around like this." She gestures to the bits and pieces of machinery, strewn in a way that wasn’t Arthur’s usual neat and orderly. She pokes at his chin, the beard long and coarse, making him look years older than the bloodshot eyes already did.

Arthur smiles but its weak and Mrs. Reyes smiles back. “Eat the food,” She says before leaving, “and visit us sometime with your uncle,” her shoes clicking against the concrete floor.

He doesn’t drop the smile until the clicks are completely gone and then he throws everything on the ground. The wrapped up slices of oyster pizza falls out of the paper bag to land on the floor but he doesn’t care. He sobs, his fist clenching until there’s half moon circles on his palms. “Liar. You’re a liar. I fucking hate you!” He bites to the lonely garage.

That is the worst part.


	2. Paintings on the wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dark. Character Death. All the warning you need.

Lewis’ heart lands in Vivi’s open hands and suddenly its like the room got brighter. She stares at the beating heart in her hands and then slowly looks to the ghost across from her.

"Lewis?" She breathes, tears springing into her eyes, "Lewis is that you?"

He nods and they embrace for a moment before Lewis’ eyes pop open to stare at Arthur.

“ **You.** " Lewis says, his hair growing larger and flames popping from his hands. He lets Vivi go and floats forward, only blocked by Mystery’s warning.

"Lewis?" Vivi asks and while she may have seen Lewis fall she didn’t see how. She didn’t see the act of betrayal Arthur wrought.

"He murdered me." Lewis seethes, his glowing pink eyes trained on Arthur’s shaky frame. "It was him, Vivi, he was the one who killed me."

"Arthur?" Vivi asks, her wide eyes horrified, "Arthur that’s not true is it?"

Mystery stops growling and looks over, his eyes inquisitive. Either Arthur will deny the claim furiously or he will accept it and all the consequences therefore. The choice was one the boy had to make.

Arthur does not speak. Vivi closes her eyes, and when she opens it she does not look angry but betrayed. She looks the same kind of betrayed that Lewis looked when he fell, pushed by Arthur’s hand.

Arthur closes his eyes as Lewis stalks forward but opens them when Vivi yells, “Stop!”

"Stop!" She says, her fists clenched and Mystery at her side, teeth bared, "Killing isn’t going to solve anything." She looks at Arthur and then looks away, petting at Mystery beside her. "Please, I don’t want more blood."

Lewis puts aways his flames but still glares, his flaming hair an untamed mess and snaps his fingers.

A hole appears beneath Arthur’s feet and he is consumed before anyone could do anything else, the floor reappearing only after Arthur’s screams are nothing but a faint echo.

Mystery growls but Vivi holds his collar.

"Lewis?" She asks.

"I don’t want to risk him doing anything." Lewis explains, his pink hair calming into something similar to the old hairstyle he had in life. "Don’t worry he’s safe somewhere else." Lewis holds out a large hand and gingerly Vivi accepts it. "Come on, let me give you the tour."

 

They go through the kitchens for a snack break, Vivi excitedly talking about what she saw on her way through their first chase around, and then they go through everything backwards. First is the various halls, the doors that serve as portals to other doors in a way that isn’t scientifically possible. They go to Lewis’ coffin room and Vivi’s eyes sparkle at the intricate coffin while Mystery sniffs at the brightly lit flames smelling of some sort of familiar spice.

They go to the foyer last and instantly Vivi wants to see the paintings.

"They’re my trophy paintings." Lewis says proudly.

"They’re incredible!" Vivi compliments, a tingle rising up her spine when the paintings’ eyes move to meet her own.

Mystery, trailing behind them, looks at the painting of the purple lady, her face regal unlike the last time he saw her, pointy teeth and pulling a rope. She meets his eyes and slowly her head moves left to right, the chandelier light glinting off her skull pendant as if it was real metal instead of ghostly paint.

Shocked, but thinking it part of the show, Mystery looks to the left to the purple, regal man. He is shaking his head too, his eyes trained on Mystery and then deliberately going to the far right to where the exit lay. Mystery’s fur stands on end but he keeps his snout closed. This was Lewis’ mansion and Lewis would never dare hurt them.

Vivi stops in front of the priest and says, “He looks kind of familiar.”

Lewis, behind her, his heart beating steadily, hums.

"Yeah, I read it in the newspaper, he looks like the priest that went missing a few months ago." She squints, her eyes taking in the curly hair, the black clothes. The painting is deceptively still beneath her gaze but she knows it could move. Why wasn’t it?

"I wanted to check it out but Arthur…" She trails off. Her hand coming up to mess with her scarf. Lewis clasps his hands over hers and turns her around to meet his gaze.

"It’s alright Vivi," He says soothingly, "that traitor can’t bother us now." She buries himself into his chest, still so solid and warm after all this time.

"I just can’t believe he’d kill you!"

"A lot of people have tried to kill me." Lewis says, placing his hand on Vivi’s head, "But don’t worry, I took care of them. I’ll take care of Arthur too."

Vivi lifts her head and curiously asks, “People have tried to kill you?”

Mystery still staring at the regal man in the suit, watched as the painting mouthed, “ _Run_.”

"Exorcise me." Lewis gently corrects, gesturing to the priest across from them. The man’s previously strict face was sad, wrinkles creasing his forehead so realistically as he stared at Vivi with pity.

"Tried to take me away from you." Lewis’ hands clench at Vivi’s shoulders, making the girl stiff with horror, her feet lifting several inches above the ground.

"All these paintings." She whispers, her eyes darting around.

Lewis nods, his head bobbing up and down without a neck, “People who have tried to exorcise me but lost. My trophy paintings. Isn’t it brilliant?” He says, his pink eyes bright as he stares at Vivi’s trembling lip, “Paintings that move, armor that obey my every command, doors that lead to nowhere. Isn’t it all that you wanted?”

Mystery growls, his body growing, his eyes turning a vibrant red. Lewis lets go of Vivi and she trips at the sudden release, her back hitting the solid wall behind her. She slides down the wall and when Lewis turns his back to face Mystery all she sees is the wrestler.

She knew that wrestler. He was part of some TV program that Arthur used to like to watch, something about ghost hunting except it was all obviously fake. They didn’t even have the proper exorcising equipment, much less the right locations.

She remembered watching a news report. Missing since last Saturday, abandoned by cast and crew at a haunted mansion.

The wrestler stared at her and mouthed, “ _Run_.”

—————————

Arthur didn’t know how long he was in this purple room. There was no windows, no clock, not even a door and most of the pink things, the ones that greeted them at the door with the scary singing and vicious teeth, were staring at him.

He stared back at the five of them and that was how the time passed. 

Until he heard screaming. Vivi screaming and then the pink ghosts’ heart turned a bright, disturbing red and then they disappeared through the floor and walls and ceilings and still the screaming continued.

But that wasn’t right because the only threat was Lewis or Mystery and neither would dare hurt Vivi. Never.

He stood, his legs shaky with how long he’d been sitting in the corner of the room and tried to look for an exit. There were no windows or any doors but still he looked for something, his hands tracing the walls surface for a secret switch like in the movies Vivi always loved.

The screams abruptly cut off at the same time the archway appeared out of thin air. He followed it, candles lighting up every few feet or so until there was a door and a smell burning his nose. A smell like burnt barbecue and an overflow of spices.

He opens the door and knows instantly he’s in the foyer, the place where it all went downhill. He follows the smell and it leads him to the hallway of paintings, cautiously he walks forward, his legs stiff and his eyes trained straight ahead but he shouldn’t have bothered. All the paintings are still and solemn. The only sign he’s going the right way being the smell that infiltrates his nose like ants during rainy weather.

The hallway seems to go forever, so much so that Arthur has thoughts about going back, heading out the front door and never coming near again. Surely it was nothing. Surely it was just Vivi screaming excitedly about something; a room with zombies in it or an evil dorito with an eye.

It could’ve been just nothing.

But then he remembered the ghosts with their red hearts and red eyes and he keeps going, their teeth sharpening right before they left for elsewhere.

When he finally gets to the end of the hall, his feet trembling, he finds the source of the burnt smell.

Mystery in his kitsune form, lies beside Lewis, burnt to a crisp, his yellow glasses cracked and his red collar a burning gooey mess, staining what’s left of his white fur.

Arthur drops to his knees by the spirit’s side, ignoring the bits of cooked meat showing and cries. He cries and puts the dog’s head in his lap, not caring that bone shows or that the burning smell of spice wafts to his eyes and makes it harder to see.

It’s clear what happened even though Arthur’s mind rejects it as much as it can. There is a charred handprint where it smells the most burnt, that Arthur tries not to touch, on Mystery’s tails. Too big for Arthur’s small hands but perfectly befitting someone he knows all too well.

Arthur looks to the side where Lewis stands, and has stood since Arthur arrived, staring at the wall. Wiping his eyes on the back of his hands, Arthur gasps.

Lewis looks human. He looks human and he is crying. Little tears run down his tan face and Arthur would say it was Lewis. He would say it was Lewis, miraculously revived, except for the unholy black eyes staring sadly forward and the cracked blue heart above his sweater vest.

Arthur turns to look at what Lewis is so sad about.

And there on the wall, so huge he’s surprised he missed it, is Vivi. Vivi in a painting so large it takes up three-fourths of the wall, her face uncharacteristically sad and solemn above a purple background. There’s something wrong about it; beyond her looking so sad and her face so still, her glasses are missing. 

"She tried to exorcise me." Lewis says quietly, his voice raw and his hand clenched around Vivi’s glasses, already broken to pieces.

Arthur has an urge to run, to get out of there. He doesn’t. This couldn’t be happening. This wasn’t happening.

"I tried to warn her but she wouldn’t listen." Lewis’ mouth twists in a way Arthur had never seen before, making his usual handsome face bitter, "Said I was too out of control."

Lewis’ human form falls and his hair cackles, his body floating upward, up, up to the portrait’s eye line. He throws the tiny glasses to the portrait but it falls, landing with a few clinks, the glass breaking even further. The painting does not move.

"Lewis." Arthur says, his gut sinking and his eyes taking in Vivi’s strict face framed by an expansive golden border detailed with prickly thorns. "Where’s Vivi?"

Arthur watches with horror as the painting finally moves as Lewis directs his attention at him, Vivi’s face becoming smudged with tears, her eyes red-rimmed.

Her painting whispers, “ _Run_.”

"This is all  _ **YOUR**   **FAULT**_.” Lewis screams while behind him Vivi’s painting is urging to him move.

“ ** _You made me do this_.” ** Arthur crawls back, Mystery’s head slipping from his lap to thud against the floor.  **“** **YOU MADE ME KILL VIVI AND MYSTERY.”**

"No, I didn’t!" Arthur finally says, trying to get up but tripping over his own feet. "It was the spirit- th-there was a spirit in the caves-"

 _“_ _ **DON’T LIE TO ME.”**_ Lewis shouts, flames erupting from his hands and his heart turning from the cracked blue to a flaming red. The ghosts come, the pink ones, appearing from the floor and the ceiling to twist around Arthur’s limbs, making him immobile.

"Please Lewis-" Arthur sobs, struggling against the ghosts who would not let him go.

“ **No more lies. No more games.** " Lewis whispers harshly, his flames reaching a max. The last thing Arthur sees is Vivi’s face behind Lewis’ shoulder.

She was crying.

The last thought he had was,

"It’s all my fault."


End file.
